Glacier National Park employees vote to unionize
Austin Amestoy
Employees of Glacier National Park have voted to unionize. The National Treasury Employees Union announced the result of the union election in June. About 650 employees of 87 parks across the Mountain West have joined the union. Represented workers include park rangers, scientists and administrators.
Yellowstone National Park employees unionized in 2023 in response to concerns over pay and increasing park visitation. The National Park Service lost roughly a quarter of its permanent staff last year as a result of Trump administration layoffs, according to the National Parks Conservation Association.
Montana joins the ‘Great American State Fair’ for semiquincentennial celebration
Austin Amestoy
A mini mock-up of the Treasure State awaits visitors to the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C. Gov. Greg Gianforte announced Montana’s participation in the event in a news release Thursday.
All 50 states and six territories have set up exhibits on the National Mall for the fair, which runs through July 10 in celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday.
Montana’s station allows visitors to walk through a miniaturized version of the state, from the badlands of Makoshika State Park to the plains to a campsite in the mountains. The governor’s office says a Montana woodworker crafted the display. More than two million people are expected to attend the fair.
Former Democratic candidate joins fight against dark money
Edward O’Brien
A former Montana congressional candidate is joining the national effort to restrict dark money in state elections.
Russell Cleveland finished 3rd in the Democratic primary for the western U.S. House seat.
The Transparent Election Initiative on Tuesday announced Cleveland is now responsible for building partnerships across the country in support of The Montana Plan.
Cleveland’s initial focus will be leading small business outreach and recruiting bipartisan endorsements.
Initiative organizers are confident they’ve collected and submitted well over the number of verified signatures necessary to qualify it for November’s ballot.
